“It teaches your child to have a little bit of quiet time, peace, it teaches you to get back in touch with nature and to see the potential of what something can become,” he observed.

Wiesner, a landscape architect and gardening enthusiast, suggests starting a small gardening project with your child either in your back yard or, if you don’t have outdoor space, creating a small indoor garden on your window sill.

“Gardening also grooms the imagination because you can plant vegetables and flowers in different combinations or settings, even in a pot,” he suggested. “You can see how it progresses over the summer and the kids can take pride and ownership in it.”

The outdoor activity is also one of the most economically sound ways to enjoy a day together with your child.

According to the gardener, all you need to “get your thumb green” is a peat pot which can plant up to 20 seeds, some starter mix soil and either flower or vegetable seeds. These essential beginner tools cost under $10 and can be found at any nursery.

Be sure to check the amount of time it should take to harvest the seeds as some vegetables, like peas, can take over two months to reach maturity. But the end result might be a fresh-picked veggie to have for dinner.

“It is a lot more satisfying when you get to enjoy the fruits of your own labor and especially when you get to enjoy it at your own table,” said Wiener.

AN ISLAND ICON

The Wiesner Nursery is a Staten Island institution, spanning over 80 years and three generations of landscaping artists. The eight acres of land is home to a countless number of shrubs, bushes, flowers and statues that can make any outdoor space a beautiful masterpiece.

While visiting the lush outdoor gardens, you might hear the sound of clucking chickens. No, it is not a soundscape CD playing over loud speakers; it is actually a coop filled with live hens and one very assertive rooster.

The animals play a special role: They keep insects and bugs away from the plants and even offer up dozens of fresh eggs daily, which will be on sale soon.

So what if you’re attempted to grow a garden, but have failed in the past?

According to Wiesner, who admits to having a few not-so-perfect attempts at raising seedlings into rich vegetation, there is no such thing as failure, just attempts to create the perfect landscape.

“It’s a learning lesson if you make a mistake, but I think you look at it like Thomas Edison; you learn about one way not to garden,” he said.

Family Fun runs each Tuesday in the Relationships section of the Advance. Sherrina Navani is a freelance writer. She can be reached through the newspaper at shores@siadvance.com.